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2016 Volkswagen Touareg

Gas Diesel

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

87 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints3 injured reported 45

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 24 mpg

2017 2016

The 2016 Volkswagen Touareg is sold in the U.S. as a gas and diesel large SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Touareg, is EPA-rated at 24 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 45 complaints, most often about the engine.

Volkswagen Touareg — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Volkswagen Touareg · Photo: Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Touareg	Gas	AWD	3.6L 6-cyl	17	23	19	$3,550
Touareg	Diesel	AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo	21	28	24	$4,000

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 36785, 36635.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Touareg	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-II ULEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 2E: 6,001 - 7,000 lb (2,722 - 3,175 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3.6 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

280 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	8

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes one configuration rather than every trim (seen: Sport (FSI Only), Sport w/ Technology, Lux, Executive). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	189.0 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	76.4 in
Height	68.1 in
Wheelbase	113.8 in
Track, front	64.6 in
Track, rear	64.6 in
Curb weight	4,696–4,974 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	53/47

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 3.0L Tdi 4Motion 4-door SUV, 3.6L VR6 4-door SUV AWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Tires

44M9

366 vehicles 66% reported repaired built Jul 7, 2015 – Mar 3, 2016

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toureg vehicles manufactured July 7, 2015 to March 3, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be improperly calibrated and, as a result, the TPMS may fail to warn the driver that the tire pressure is low. Additionally, the tire pressures printed on the Safety Certification labels are incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems." Risk If the vehicle is driven on underinflated tires, the tires may fail suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will correct the TPMS settings and replace the safety certification label, free of charge. The recall began on May 13, 2016. Volkwagen's number for this recall is 44M9.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V243000 reported Apr 26, 2016 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

46G4

46,574 vehicles 86% reported repaired

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Touareg vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a securing clip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge. Risk If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly to verify the presence of the securing clip and install any missing securing clips, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 46G4.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V170000 reported Mar 24, 2016 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Touareg

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volkswagen publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

45complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 3 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 11 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Engine 22

Forward Collision Avoidance 13

Unspecified 10

Service Brakes 5

Electrical System 5

Structure 4

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

At 18,293 miles the vehicle entered "limp mode" while under normal driving conditions. The problem was diagnosed as the engine air filter being saturated with water due to a clogged air box drain holding water. At 26,054 miles, the filter was again found to be saturated with water.

Engine at 18,293 miles Oct 20, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11365465

Sunroof leaks and water accumulates in the spare tire well plus grows mold making the vehicle unsafe to drive

Structure at 1,610 miles Jul 23, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11341088

2016 Volkswagen toureg (VIN # ) purchased 5/25/2019. Vroom assured all vehicles undergo rigorous inspection and written guarantee of a clean title / no flood damage. The vehicle was delivered on 6/17/2019. On 6/18/2019 the vehicle was taken to a mechanic for a standard prepurchase inspection. I paid $150.64 for this service.

Service Brakes Jul 15, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11231894

After less than four years of ownership, and outside of the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty, the adaptive cruise control module(s) failed for no apparent reason, rendering the entire cruise control system inactive.

Vehicle Speed Control at 28,000 miles Apr 25, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11203828

Since I purchased my 2016 Touareg tdi in september 2015. The steering wheel vibration has become quite an issue as it is getting worse the longer I drive it. I have had it road tested, wheels balance tires rotated on three different occasions and it continues to vibrate at the steering. I have only 4000 miles on the odometer.

Steering May 25, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10870833

After driving on a short trip. I smelled and noticed diesel leaking from driver side front wheel well. Looking more closely noticed diesel had been leaking while driving splattering on underside and side of vehicle

Fuel/Propulsion System at 2,500 miles Nov 17, 2015 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10794374

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Volkswagen itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every Touareg model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 18k

miles, typically

Half the 26 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 2,000 and 32,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 26 on file: 10 under 10k, 3 10k–20k, 5 20k–30k, 4 30k–40k, 2 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k, 1 60k–70k.

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Engine	19	21,565	0.35×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: engine (0.35×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Volkswagen warranty extension VWP-24-04These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Volkswagen warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 687

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 677 service bulletins, 8 others, 2 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Fuel/Propulsion System.

V0116152014815_20 Service bulletin
2026-09-17 · Engine
Suggested fuel additive
SM 39-2026 Other
2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
TT 00-13-04_7 Other
2026-08-06 · Unknown Or Other
Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order
V0026012081638_2 Service bulletin
2026-08-04 · Unknown Or Other
Differences between a leak and seepage
VOS-26-42 Service bulletin
2026-07-15 · Electrical System
This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 - Hotfix 12-V battery test(s) – No battery diagnosis - Inconclusive test result.
V1718062017813_24 Service bulletin
2026-07-09 · Engine
Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
TT 13-20-01_3 Service bulletin
2026-06-18 · Engine
Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
TT 10-18-02_2 Service bulletin
2026-06-18 · Engine
Lubricating engine components before reassembly.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P2407 P2407 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	10 bulletins
P0420 P0420 on Volkswagen →	The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.	Equipment · Catalytic converter →	4 bulletins
P0430 P0430 on Volkswagen →	The catalytic converter on bank 2 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.	Equipment · Catalytic converter →	4 bulletins
P0011 P0011 on Volkswagen →	Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	3 bulletins
P0016 P0016 on Volkswagen →	The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	3 bulletins
P013E P013E on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	3 bulletins
P164B P164B on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	3 bulletins
P2181 P2181 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	3 bulletins
P309D P309D on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	3 bulletins
P309F P309F on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	3 bulletins
P0088 P0088 on Volkswagen →	Fuel rail pressure is above what the system commanded.	Equipment	2 bulletins
P0456 P0456 on Volkswagen →	A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Visibility/Wiper · Gas cap →	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 3.9%

failed emissions

233 initial inspections of 225 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 Touareg	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	3.9%	4.2%	233
Failed the safety inspection	2.1%	2.2%	233
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.43%	0.27%	233
Miles driven a year	10,058	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	103,087	103,109	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Touareg by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2017 A 1 24 19 mpg 2016 this page B 2 45 24 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 Touareg

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg. The most serious on file is 16V170000, covering Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it B (87/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg, the best EPA combined figure is 24 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

Transport Canada measured it at 189.0 in long, 76.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 68.1 in tall, on a 113.8 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,696–4,974 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

Owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg, most often about engine, forward collision avoidance, unspecified. Of those, 3 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Bin 5, LEV-II ULEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg?

The manufacturer has filed 687 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-17. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg failed the emissions check on 3.9% of first inspections — close to the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	1 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	45	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	none	NHTSA NCAP	NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins	687	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	9 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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